Stamp-affixer.



No. 744,894. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

F. E. BECK.

STAMP AFFIXBR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS$HE No; 744,894. PATENTED NOV 24, 19031. P. E. BECK.

STAMP AFFIXBR.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 28, 1903.

NO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHBBT 2 M 1% V I I Wmm UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1903 FRANK E. BECK, OF HARVARD, ILLINOIS.

STAMP-AFFIXER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,894, dated November 24, 1903. Application filed February 28,1903. Serial N0. 145.588. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harvard, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Stamp- Affixer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a device for affixing postage-stamps to envelops; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device by means of which a number of stamps can be quickly and easily affixed by simply manipulating two keys, one for the purpose of moistening the envelop ready to receive the gummed stamp and the other for the purpose of forcing the gummed face of the stamp into contact with the moistened face of the envelop.

lVith this object in View the invention consists, essentially, in providing a platform having an opening, arranging stamp and pad compartments beneath the said opening, and an anvil directly above said opening and means for bringing the pad into contact with the envelop and means for forcing the stamp into contact with the moistened face of the envelop.

The invention consists also in providing an endless moistening-pad and means for moving said pad so as to present a freshly-moistened surface to each envelop.

The invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

.In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stamp-aflixer constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the means for feedingthe moistening-pad.

In carrying out my invention I employ a casting-bracket A, which is provided with a suitable clamp A, by means of which the device is securely fastened to the edge of a table or desk, and secured to said bracket is'a horizontal platform'B, which is braced by means of a suitable brace-rod B, extending from the bottom of the platform to the clamping portion of the bracket, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The platform has a rectangularshaped opening B produced therein, and secured to the under side of the saidplatform, directly beneath the said opening, is a rectangular-shaped box 0, divided into two vertical compartments by means of the vertical partition 0, said box being open at its upper and lower ends. One compartment is intended to receive and hold a definite number of stamps arranged one upon the other, the gummed faces being arranged uppermost, and the other compartment 'is intended to carry a inoistening-pad, which moisteningpad is moved upwardly and brought into contact with an envelop placed upon the platform directly over the opening, and after being so moistened the envelop is passed over the stamp-compartment and the stamp forced upwardly into contact with the moistened surface of the envelop, thereby affixing the stamp to said envelop, the envelop being held in place during the manipulation. of the moistening and stamping mechanism by means of an anvil-block D, which is provided with a dovetailed tenon D, which fits into the dovetailed groove A in the upper end of the bracket. This anvil-block is broader at its lower end than at the upper end and is of such a size that it will completely cover the rectangular-shaped opening produced in the platform B, and the said anvil can be readily detached from the bracket whenever it is desired to refill the stamp-compartment. WVhen in position,it rests slightly above the platform B, a sufficient space being left to permit the envelop to pass freely thereunder.

I shall now describe the mechanism employed for moistening the envelop and will then describe the means for feeding and-aflixing the stamps to the envelop so moistened.

The bracket A is formed with a laterallyprojecting horizontal arm E, upon which is supported a pan F, adapted to contain water, and traveling through the Water in the'pan is an endless strip of absorbent material G,

which passes over a fiat block H and around a rod- I, said block II and rod I being connected by an upright bar K, which is pivotally connected to the lever L, pivoted at L upon the upper end of a bracket L said lever being operated by means of a key M, the shank of which passes downwardly through the platform and carries the transverse pin M, which works in the elongated slot M produced in the end of the lever. Thus by pressing downwardly upon the key M the lever L is operated, raising the moistening-pad so that it contacts with the face of the envelop held upon the platform and beneath the anvil, the fiat block H being of a size to fit snugly within the compartment,-and as soon as pressure is removed from the keythe moistening-pad will be returned to its normal position by means of the spring M operating upon the end of the lever, and the pad will then be lowered, so as to bring its lower portion into the water-pan, and in order to feed the pad around or over the block H, so that a freshly-moistened .portion will always be presented to the face of the envelop, I provide two barbed fingers N, which are adapted to be intermittently brought into engagement with the opposite flights of the endless strip for the purpose of feeding the said strip around the block II and rod I. These barbed fingers N are connected to an oscillating plate 0 by means of spring-arms P, said plate being pivoted at O to a short pivot-stud 0 extending horizontally from the bracket, and the oscillation of this plate is effected by means of a curved slot 0 produced in said plate and in which works the reduced end 0 of the lever L, said slot being made in the form of a compound curve, so that it will be oscillated as the lever moves up and down, and inasmuch as the lever moves the block H and rod I vertically and the barbed finger has no vertical movement one side of the belt will be held by said finger and a new portion of the belt will be drawn on the block II. On a reverse movement of the lever the other side of the belt will be gripped by the other finger, and as the movement of the block and side of the belt held are both reversed the direction in which the belt is shifted will not be reversed, but on the downward movement the belt will again shift in the same direction as on the upward movement of the lever, and so the said strip will be caused to move around, and in this manner a freshly-moistened portion will always be presented to the face of the envelop.

The stamps are arranged in the compartment and fed upwardly by means of a plunger Q, which snugly fits the compartment, said plunger being carried by a rod Q, which is connected to a rocking frame R, pivoted upon a bolt R, passing through lugs R extending upwardly from the arm E, adjacent to the bracket L said rocking frame being operated by means of a key S, which has a loose connection with the key-frame, as shown at S, and the rocking frame is returned to its normal position as soon as pressure is removed from the key by means of a coil-spring S which connects the lever to the bracket L as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. As before stated, the envelop after being moistened by the pad is moved so as to bring the moistened portion directly over the stamp-compartment, and by pressing upon the stamping-key the uppermost stamp is brought into contact with the moistened surface and affixed thereto. This operation can be continued until the supply of stamps has become exhausted, and the anvil is then removed, the stampcompartment refilled, and the anvil replaced. The device is then ready for operation again, and the supply of water can be replenished from time to time as required. The stamps are then arranged in series one on top of the other, and by arranging them in proper order all of the stamps will be properly affixed to the envelops.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is

1. In a device of the kind described, a platform having an opening therein, an anvil arranged directly above said opening, stamp and pad compartments beneath said opening, a vertically-movable block in the pad-compartment, an endless pad comprising a belt of absorbent material adapted to move across the surface of the block, means for raising and lowering the block, and means for shifting the pad-belt.

2. In a device of the kind described, a bracket provided with a clamp,aplatform connected to said bracket and having an opening therein, stamp and pad compartments arranged beneath said opening, a plunger working in the stamp-compartment, an endless absorbent pad arranged in the pad-compartment together with means for operating the plunger and means for operating and feeding the pad, and a water-receptacle arranged upon the bracket, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device of the kind described, a bracket provided with a clamp at its lower end and a detachable anvil at its upper end, a platform attached to the bracket and. having an opening, the stamp and pad compartments, arranged directly beneath said opening, theplunger working in the stamp-compartment, the endless pad working in the padcompartment, said pad consisting of an endless strip of absorbent material, means for moving the said strip intermittently, a rocking frame connected to the plunger and a lever connected to the pad, keys connected to the rocking frame, and lever, springs for returning the parts to their normal positions, and a water-receptacle carried by the bracket, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the kind described, the plate to which the arms are attached said combination with an endless strip of abplatehavingacompound curved slot, the end 10 sorbent material, the block and roller around of the lever Working" in said slot substantially which the said strip passes, the rod connectas and for the purpose described.

ing' such block and roller, the lever pivotally FRANK E. BECK. connected to said rod, the barbed fingers WVitnesses:

adapted to engage the endless strip,the spring- R. D. WVEITZEL,

arms for carrying said fingers, and the pivoted F. L. ST. CLAIR. 

